Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-07-07
A HUMAN CoRMoRANT.
A Remarkable Negro who Catches fiHh
WIKI His Hands and Mouth.


Some weeks ago the Chronicle made
mention Of the wonderful fcats per-
formed at Moores Lagoon by colored
man named Wallace Bailey, clubbing
him ''the human king-fsher, bat the
account was ridicued and laughed at
generally, being considered the pro-
ducton of vivid imagination. What
was then stated, however, does not
comprise third of what this man is
capable of doing in the water Know
in aat the great majority Of people
entirely doubted Baileys powers, sew
eral gentlemen finally persuaded him
to name a day for public exhibition.
Yesterday afternoon, therefore, near
~ hundred people had assembled at
the lagoon, which is located about ono
mile from the eastern boundary Of the
city OH the ferry road. Disrobing at
one end, he swan down to the open
stretch Of water before the crowd
Quickly, but with hardly a ripple on
the PLACID surface he sank beneath the
water Up to this time many present
were skepticai as to the result, and
when q minute had nearly elapsed and
he had not come to the top, the doubt
ing ones felt certain that it was a sell
Of some kind.
"Helol there he is. -
"The human cormorant came to
the top like a cork holding both hands
aIoft in each appearing a struggling
fish. This caused furry Of applause,
which encouraged the fisher, and, af-
ter throwing his prey out on the bank,
he went down again. This, too, was
the most successful dive of the day,
for when he came up not only did be
have a fish in each hand, but one in
his mouth. This was enough in itself
TO satisfy the entire audience, although
some were Of the opinion that he had
two OF three fish tied ut the bottom
During the morning he caught two or
three lunches, and went in again at
3 O'Clock. The water was too cold
and he could not stand il longer than
an hour. He captured eight or ten
fish however. including trout perch
Dream, aud catfish 1t was wonderful
work. indeed, and all who saw it were
amazed. On leaving the water the
man hook like a leaf, and narrowly
escaped chill
After most of the crowd had left a
reporter talked for some time with
Bailey His tory was certainly
strange one, and viii bear repetition:
How long have you been at this
husinessp'
about six years But | can only
enter the water in summer and even
then il freezes me clear to the bone
"What in the world ever possessed
you to try such II thing?'
wen, sir, it was all in dream. ]
took several of my female friends
down TO Lagoon one afternoon on a
fishing party, and while there fell
asleep. went TO dreaming, and
thought just div under and caught
EN- with my hands. When woks up
ran to the other end of the pond,
took of my clothes and jumped in. 1t
felt mighty funny at first to keep my
eyes open under water, burt | stuck to
it andin little while caught two or
three dozen fish Since then / have
tried it every summer, and now |
can see snags, stumps, or anything
else. Why, | can tell what Kind OF
,I, l see ana can Se' any N'ho 'ney
ten me
Aiter YOU eaten slGnt ol 'he u7h'
"Oh, that's easy enough He can
get along pretty fast at first, for
ABOUT e,Gn' 9aI"s' ""' 'uef ne SttS
SOW a''o eau Jus' Keep on anu eaten
nun, pcrauSo' on Sc ! can say un-
ne! uef 'i'e water tNo or lhteo minutes
! ne way l '''e4 most 81 'oehl = ~
luloine 'hoF ',''''' 7 ?, mere ;
l"'h'S OF curry huoui''t ,o3''ner' anu
men YOU \" up ''sl' p', one n N"l'I
iaNi3t" -''t" OlN ~ NA'!i manu. dtlu